A Little Poem on Resilience
Little Maddie,
This is for you, my darling.
Chase the sun.
It carries treasures.
And while you chase it, let opportunity chase you too.
Choose the paths that speak to your soul, and make wonders from what you find.
Little Maddie,
Explore.
Minutes, days, weeks, months, years…
Explore.
Make your days a scientific adventure,
your weeks a testimony,
your months an expedition.
An expedition into the wonders that lie within you, upon this Earth, and beyond.
Look far for expansion.
Look near for depth.
When you feel lost, stay still.
Breathe.
Rest.
Then continue.
There is wisdom in this simple act, and a price for forgetting it.
To all my little mermaids:
Take on the challenge.
Ask questions.
Be curious.
Interrogate.
Stand up.
Speak up.
Raise your voice, your courage, your bravery, your determination.
To my little and big mermaids,
There is treasure in simply being present:
In an unknown land.
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In the movement of another.
In their food.
Their culture.
Their stories.
Their questions.
You are an explorer.
Never forget that.
And remember these words from Erling Kagge:
- Make your own choices.
- Make decisions when inspiration arrives.
- Wake up early.
- Train yourself in optimism.
- Don’t mistake probability for possibility.
- Don’t take foolish risks.
- Have something to lose.
- Don’t chase happiness.
- Learn to be alone.
- Enjoy small helpings.
- Accept failure.
- Find freedom in responsibility.
- Make flexibility a habit.
- Don’t leave luck to chance.
- Allow your goal to pursue you.
- Reset your compass when needed.
Finally, little Maddie,
never underestimate the power of acknowledging another person, or the power of a simple smile.
The fjords, the forests, the oceans, the cities… they are magnificent.
But the greatest territory you will ever explore is yourself.
Keep going.
Keep wondering.
